


Claws And Scales

by Black_Lotus



Category: Midnight Texas (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Omega Elements, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blow Jobs, Cover Art, Cult Like Society, Cunnilingus, Duality of Man, Emancipated Teen, F/M, Kissing, Mates, Mating, Mating Bites, Mentions of Racism, Mentions of Sexism, Older Man/Younger Woman, Oppression, Oral Sex, Post Colconnar, Runaway, Self-Esteem Issues, Sex, Shapeshifting, Submissive Behabiour, Supernatural Elements, The Rev's Hat, True Love, Vaginal Fingering, Weretiger, indoctrination, mermaid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-17 13:38:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13660125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Lotus/pseuds/Black_Lotus
Summary: Emerald eyes, Raven hair, porcelain skin and a body that turned heads with ease. She was so beautiful, but the thing that he loved more was her smile... when it wasn't hidden under her submissive tendencies and inferiority.Slowly the Rev's concern and worry for this young woman starts to change. She was even more isolated than him, maybe they could be isolated together.





	1. The Girl In The Graveyard

 

It was one of those warm pleasant days in Midnight, not a cloud in the sky and seemingly peaceful. A dog barked in the not too far distance, probably being taken for a walk by its owner; happy and content. Only a gentle breeze blew that Wednesday morning far subdued compared to the intense winds the tiny Texan town had endured the night previous. Even more impressive than the pleasant day was the fact that Reverend Emilio Sheehan had actually slept wonderfully, unusual for him when the full moon neared and even more unusual what with everything that had been going on in town as of late.

Midnight was only half awake when he arrived at the church from his Pastorium dressed in his usual suit, hat and Bolo tie forming his trademark appearance  that screamed Johnny Cash. He loved his little chapel, very basic to the untrained and uninterested eye but Emilio preferred to think of it as character and charm.

The day might have been sunny but the night had been foul wind, he sighed seeing the grey church steps covered over in sand and quickly fetched a wooden broom from the storage room at the back of his church. As he swept the Rev spied Bobo out the corner of his chocolate eyes as he opened up the pawnshop at the other end of the street and Maggie doing the same with her florists. How Maggie stayed in business was a mystery to the Rev, he'd only seen a handful of people ever go in there other than her two daughters and son, Martha, Ivy and Craig; Emilio wished the older woman all the best though.

The wooden broom grated against the sand somewhat satisfyingly, he'd no doubt have to sweep again on Thursday and the day after that and the day after that – it was Texas, he couldn't really complain about the sand and somehow even sandier soil –  but that wasn't the point. The point was that his church was a house of God and cleanliness was next to Godliness after all. Butlers liked to keep the house tidy, Reverends like to keep the church tidy. One of the older human residents passed by and bid him good morning but other than that, Bobo and Maggie, Emilio hadn't seen anyone else all morning. Then again he'd always been an early riser.

When the Weretiger was just about finished he spotted a young woman stood in the pet cemetery, had she been there the whole time?  It wasn't easy for someone to sneak up on Emilio but somehow she'd gone unnoticed, almost as though she'd gone out of her way to be invisible. The woman had crouched down before poor little Elvis' gravestone – the one with a statue of the dog himself – but others seemed to draw her attention too, _that's odd._

The Rev knew everyone in Midnight what with it being such a tiny town with a population no larger than seventy, but he couldn't place her, from the back he could see nothing but her long flowing black hair, blacker that coal, and the oversized camo jacket she wore, only when the woman stood to look at another gravestone did he realise she was the girl who'd moved into the house down by the river just under a year ago, the girl that worked as a waitress at Home Cookin' with Creek and Madonna.

No one had really noticed when she'd moved to Midnight, or at least at first they hadn't. The house down by the river was reasonably sized and in good shape if the exterior was anything to go by but no one had rented it from Angela Morrison in years, even in their odd little town it was isolated. 

She'd brought him his breakfast with a polite smile a few times but he'd never learnt her name, he never really talked to anyone while he ate. There was one thing even he couldn't deny and that was just how stunningly beautiful she was. The Rev didn't know much about her save for where she worked and that she wasn't human, his sense of smell had alerted him to that fact the second she had first appeared to take his order almost a year ago, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what she was. Not a vampire – being out in daylight confirmed that – not a witch or Fiji would have made more of an effort to talk to her, it was highly unlikely for more than one angel to be in town  and of course he knew she wasn't a were-creature of any kind. He felt it would have been rude to ask. The girl with jet black hair was a mystery to Emilio. However, he was curious as to why she was wandering around the cemetery for no reason. Carefully he let the broom rest against the church door and calmly walked over to her.

“Hello.” He greeted softly so as not to scare her but she startled a little anyway.

“Oh, hello, Rev. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to mess anything up.”

The Were' raised a confused eyebrow at that as she dipped her head almost submissively, she seemed even less social than he was, but he also got the feeling there was something else going on there, something hidden in her past.

“You didn't.” He reassured her, pleased when the dark-haired woman relaxed a little and a smile pulled its way onto her lips. “Everyone is always welcome at the chapel.” He smiled as pleasantly as he was able despite it feeling entirely unnatural to him; occasionally he huffed out a laugh but that was about it. “I'm sorry but I've never asked your name. You've been in Midnight a year or so and in a town as small as this we should all know each other's names.”

“It's Cordelia.” She told him easily. “Cordelia Firth.”

That smile of hers grew and Emilio found it beautiful, her eyes were impossibly green and lined in thick black eye-liner that only worked to make them bolder; two polished emeralds. Jet black hair hung in loose waves around her face like a cloak of shadows and her nails had been painted perfectly in silver.

“That's a beautiful name.”

He'd not meant to say that, it had just slipped out but the way she looked at him amazed the Rev, she looked at him like no one had ever said that to her before, like no one had ever cared. It gave him the urge to change the subject before things got awkward.

“Do you have a pet?” _ What sort of a question is that?  _ The Rev asked himself as he subconsciously rolled his eyes, _sounds like I'm offering to bury it for her._

“Hmm?” Emilio gestured to the gravestones. “Oh, no I don't. Where I grew up we didn't get to have pets. We didn't bury anyone either, I was just curious. I see this cemetery every day on my way to work but I've never stopped to look. I'm sorry if I bothered you,” she looked down at her watch hidden among a mass of wrist straps and bracelets; one of which was a thin black band in a simple macramé style that reminded Emilio of something similar he'd had as a teenager. “and I'm going to be late. Bye Revered.”

With that Cordelia turned and left without another word forcing their strange little conversation to an end. He called out his own goodbye but Cordelia didn't turn back, he found himself watching as she made her way to the restaurant, the dark-haired man had never seen anyone so utterly stunning. Somehow she'd managed to capture his full curiosity without even trying.

“Rev, you okay?”

It was Bobo, somehow the Rev had been so focused on the young woman that a human had been able to sneak up on him. Bobo's dark eyes followed to what had Emilio's attention.

“Isn't that Cordelia, the waitress?”

“Yes.” Responded the Weretiger as nonchalantly as possible before he headed back to the church to grab his broom; Bobo followed. 

“That girl's bit strange, you've got to admit, even for Midnight. She doesn't really talk to anyone but she seems nice enough. Weird that a girl that young is out here all alone, I mean she's what, seventeen? Eighteen?” 

The Rev didn't want that conversation, not after how much attention he'd paid to her naked legs.

“I wouldn't know. Was there something you needed, Bobo? Anything I can help with?”

“Nah, I'm good. Just saw you stood here like you were in some kind of trance and wanted to check on you.”

“I'm perfectly fine, thank you for your concern.” Said the gruff Revered.

Bobo nodded. “Sure. See you later, Rev.”

Emilio nodded and went back to sweeping in peace. He'd seen Cordelia in Home Cookin' many times but he'd never really spoken to her, now he had she'd captured his attention and he found himself wanting to know more about her. He hadn't ever done that before. 

 

~X~

 

Lunch rolled around and the hat wearing Rev found himself hungry. That had been becoming increasingly more prominent since Manfred had come to town, the veil had started to open and he had begun to dread what would happen upon the next full moon. Normally a bull sated him but last time... he didn't want to think about last time, about the innocent woman he'd killed. Olivia had almost had to put him down and he'd not have blamed her if she had. The Rev had already invested in stronger chains and reinforced the storm cellar door in anticipation. 

The first hints of his change had started to tingle in the back of his head, the quiet heightening of his already superhuman senses, but he was determined to keep his dangerous nature under control. With a sigh he sat down at his usual seat in the restaurant, one of the smaller tables, Emilio didn't always sit alone but more often than not he would be found eating in solitude rather than in the back room with his fellow Midnighters. Tigers were solitary creatures. 

Tables were scattered around the homely restaurant; fitting considering the name. The restaurant wasn't quite as busy as during the dinner rush but there were still several people sat enjoying their meals and conversations. Madonna's black hair had been piled up on the top of her head as usual, she moved back and forth working the bar with a smile, her eyes flashed up every now and again to check on Creek and Cordelia who worked opposite sides of the restaurant. 

He'd not sat on Cordelia's side on purpose it was just that he tended to favour the left hand side of the bar. Emilio took of his hat and flicked open his leather bound book just before Cordelia appeared with an order pad and pen in her hand, a smile on her porcelain face. With the oversized camo jacket he'd seen her in earlier gone he could see her short tartan skirt that was actually an inch or so shorter then her white apron, those smooth legs seemed to go on forever. Her black tank top amused him though, scrawled across it in white were the words ' _look me in the eyeliner and say that'_ . Emilio hadn't ever paid so much attention to a woman's clothing before, it all suggested her  to be a brave outgoing person but her submissive behaviour earlier had shown quite the opposite. 

Since Cordelia had started working at Home Cookin' even he – a man who usually ignored everyone while he ate – had noticed the way men ogled her, not that the Rev could blame them. Most probably assumed Cordelia to be an attention seeking teenager who only dressed the way she did  to anger her parents, but Emilio saw it as something else. He saw that she looked comfortable in her clothing, her style wasn't for attention but an expression of who she was;  separate from the crowd, independent, and quite probably more dangerous than most believed. Just in the short time the dark-haired man had been paying attention to her he'd gotten a sense that she'd had no control over herself as a child.

“Hello again, Rev.” Cordelia's voice was almost angelic, the sort of voice designed for singing, and pulled him from his thoughts quickly. “What can I get for you?” Bobo had been right, the teenager was strange but pleasant enough.

“Em, a BLT and an ice tea, please.” He told her politely.

Only then when Emilio looked up from his book did he realise how close she was stood, and from his seated position what a good view of her impressive cleavage he had; probably another reason most men in Home Cookin' were staring at her, the Rev looked away. 

Cordelia jotted his order down and offered him another smile. “Sure thing, be right back.”

Something forced him to watch as the raven haired beauty walked away, Emilio cursed himself for watching her, he was a Reverend, much too old and she'd already got half the restaurant staring at those long legs. He couldn't figure out why Cordelia had not only held his attention but made him curious, he'd never felt drawn to anyone before; she wasn't like anyone he'd ever met.

The Weretiger sat quietly while he waited for his lunch and read his book, he saw Mandred come in and grab Creek so they could eat together in the back room, but that was all he took notice of until Cordelia reappeared at his table and set everything down carefully. 

“There you are, Rev. Sorry for the wait.” She'd only been gone all of five minutes and yet she actually sounded sorry for not being fast enough; _what happened to this girl._ “Anything else I can get you?”

“No. Thank you, Cordelia.” The Rev kept his voice level and soft. She turned to leave but suddenly turned back looking awkward and worried. “Is everything alright?”

“Em... yeah. Have you... have you noticed anything strange lately?” The teen kept her emerald eyes firmly planted on the floor and fidgeted with her hands. “I don't mean the veil opening, I know that's obviously strange. I mean, with yourself. I've been more violent and I don't want to be near people, especially humans. I don't really know how to explain it, I guess I just thought with you being a tiger you'd understand but I'd need to make sense for that.” She finished somewhat lamely.

He'd not been expecting such a question, to him she looked as though she felt guilty for having asked it. He closed his book and looked up at her with those dark chocolate eyes of his.

“I... I think I know what you're trying to ask and yes, I have.” Emilio paused for a moment. “I've been more volatile than my usual self. Eating meat even though I'm a vegetarian.”

“I was wondering about the BLT.”

“I try to avoid meat considering what I am. The veil opening and Colconnar, it's still having an effect on all supernaturals in town. My willpower and faith helps me.” 

There was silence for a moment.

 

“I've never understood God.” Her emerald orbs flashed up at him with concern. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologise,” he told her truthfully “and I don't think we can ever fully understand the Lord. Cordelia, you said you don't want to be near people and yet here you are working, talking to me. It might not seem very helpful but I'd say you just need to carry on as you have been doing, If you didn't harm anyone while the veil was open I think you're certainly strong enough to withstand the tail end of it.” 

Cordelia nodded, his words seemed to have helped her.

“Thank you, Rev. I'll leave you in peace. Sorry for bothering you.”

Before he could utter a word she vanished off to the bar. She truly did seem submissive, scared of saying the wrong thing, and it gave the Rev pause; _does this girl think she's worthless? Inferior?_ How could a young woman who'd talked about being more violent and had such a bold fashion sense be as unassertive as Cordelia?

This girl truly was a mystery.


	2. Walks Of Freedom

A few days went by with nothing of note happening; which made a nice change. Midnight deserved some peace for once. The Rev had spent the week patching up the church after the sandstorm and Colconnar's minions had trashed the place, he was getting tired of repeatedly fixing the chapel; he still wasn't happy with the roof repair he'd done after Joe and Bowie had gone flying through it either.

Emilio had just left Home Cookin' after his evening meal and intended to return home when he saw Cordelia heading across Witch Light Road towards the bank no doubt on her way home. After what she'd said to him almost a week ago he'd been surreptitiously keeping an eye on her out of concern. If his concern would have been welcome or not he didn't know.

Suddenly Lem was stood beside him in his long black coat, clouds hung in the dark sky obscuring the silvery moon. 

“Evening, Emilio.” Said the vampire in that deep voice of his.

“Hello, Lemuel. It's a pleasant evening.”

“Hmm.” Lem looked out to see what had the Rev's attention. “Beautiful, isn't she?”

“Yes... what?” Emilio's head snapped up to his friend who wore a bemused smile and a glint in his supernatural blue eyes.

“Cordelia is a nice girl, kind and very accepting considering what she is and where she came from. Must have been hard for her to acclimatize to being among humans. I still struggle myself.” There was a momentary pause. “I like her, although, I am curious as to why she's gotten your attention so whole-heartedly.” 

The Weretiger took a breath and tried not to shuffle on the spot. 

“She asked me something several days ago and I was concerned about her is all.” 

Lem nodded to himself. “Don't worry about Cordelia, she's braver than she seems, stronger too.” the vampire looked Emilio up and down for a second. “Turns a lot of heads as well, but don't tell Olivia I said that or she might actually stake me. Are you coming in for a drink?”

The Rev cleared his throat. “No, thank you, Lem. I think I'll just head home for the night, I'm in the mood for some peace and quiet. Say hello to Olivia for me?” 

“Of course. Goodnight, Emilio.”

The Rev bid his friend goodnight and then walked the short distance to his home. The house was modest but was lay out in such a way that it felt twice the it's actual size. He kicked the front door closed behind him and tossed his keys down into a small glass bowl sat on the side table. The walls had been painted a forest green color which paired nicely with the dark wooden flooring. The living area was home to a comfortable looking couch, two matching armchairs, a cream rug with a strikingly modern green floral pattern – which he'd never liked but stayed there anyway – and a hardly used television. 

Off to the left behind the couch was his kitchen, all whites and clean with a kitchen table which, like the television, hardly ever got used. While over the right side of the couch just past the kitchen were the doors to his bedroom and the two other disused rooms as well as the bathroom. There wasn't really anything to specify exactly who lived in the house save for his guitar sat neatly in its stand over by one of his armchairs, no family photos or knick-knacks; the place didn't exactly look lived in. 

Emilio changed into his pyjamas and clambered into bed once he'd flicked on the light which filled the room with a warm orange glow. He reached for his book on the nightstand table, he'd always been something of a bookworm, settled down and indulged in some reading while trying to avoid thinking about Cordelia. How had he never noticed how beautiful her eyes were until that day in the pet cemetery? 

 

~X~

 

The next afternoon Olivia stood by the chapel's storm cellar as Emilio reinforced the hinges. The sun shone down but clouds kept the real heat away and birds clucked and squawked in the distance.

“Are you sure this is all necessary, Rev?” Asked the blonde who stood with her hands on her hips. “The chains held last month.”

“I want to make absolutely certain I can't hurt anyone else ever again.” Said the Were' without looking up from his work. “Especially not my friends, I've never had any before so now that I do I want to keep you all safe as possible.”

A small pause hung between them but nothing uncomfortable.

“Hey, Rev, you know we know you don't want to hurt us, right. We know that you can't control the tiger. You're one of us.”

“I know and I'm grateful that you all think that way, but for my own piece of mind I want to make this door impenetrable.” Olivia nodded, she understood the older man's concerns.

“Okay, what do you want me to do? I assume you didn't ask me to come over just to watch you work up a sweat in that Johnny Cash hat of yours.”

Emilio gave a small smile as he set the screwdriver down and looked up at the stunningly beautiful assassin.

“No. I installed an alarm. If these doors open once it's been armed and bolted it triggers and alert. Rather than blaring and waking up the whole town which would put even more people in jeopardy, it will send a text, I would like for it to alert you. That way if I ever do get out again you'll know right away and will be able to put me down.” 

“Alright, that's actually a good plan but we won't be killing you unless we absolutely have to.” She stressed that fact. “Lem leached from you before, I'm sure he could do it again.” 

The dark-haired man nodded and thanked Olivia, it meant so much to him that he'd finally found a place where he was accepted, welcome. 

“Once you're finished am I locking you in? There are still another couple of hours until sunset.”

“No, thank you, but I think I'll take a walk before locking down for the night. I'd like some flesh air.”

“Cool.” Smiled Olivia as she pulled out her phone. “Just let me know when you're ready.”

With that Olivia left him to it. He finished up his improvements which took all of twenty-five minutes and then locked up his tools in the small back room in his chapel before he headed off on his walk. It wasn't something he did very often but sometimes it was nice for him to enjoy the outdoors when he knew he'd spend all night locked up with a dead bull. Gave him a sense of freedom. 

His walk took him down to the river where it was quiet and peaceful, people didn't normally go down to the river unless it was the for the town picnic. He could hear the water running smoothly over tiny rocks as the wind danced through ancient trees; there was something almost tranquil about it. As he entered a clearing his impossibly dark orbs spotted a young woman only a few feet from him laying on a pink blanket down by the rivers edge, she wore Daisy Dukes and a yellow bikini top that showed off her pale skin. The Rev quickly realised the woman to be Cordelia... sunbathing. He was too close to walk by unnoticed and turning back seemed cowardly so he decided to be direct but polite. 

“Hello.”

Cordelia gasped and sat bolt upright on her blanket, her chest rose and fell quickly as she tried to gain back her composure. Emilio had been the one to essentially creep up on her – even if it hadn't been intentional, but she looked as though he would yell at her for being startled, as if it were her fault; instantly the urge to put that all to rest hit him. 

“I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I hadn't realised quite hoe far I'd wandered along the river.” 

When he glanced up he saw her home nestled among the trees not to far from where they were looking out over the river. Truth be told it was a rather pleasant house, about half the size of his place. The house was made of a very dark wood with a raised deck that surrounded it on three sides, the sort of home that would go unnoticed unless someone either knew it was there or walked into it. If the Rev had known it existed when he moved to town he'd have spoken to Missus Morrison about renting it. 

“I was just taking a walk.”

“No, it's alright, I'm sorry. It's just no one ever really comes down here. I em, would you like some tea?” 

“Oh, there's no need.” He didn't want to make her any more uncomfortable than he already had.

“I was going to go in and make some anyway. You're more than welcome.”

Emilio had about ninety minutes or so until he needed to lock himself up and it would have been rude to refuse.

“Thank you, tea would be lovely.”

He didn't really drink tea, always been more of a coffee man but tea sounded pleasant enough. Cordelia stood up and folded the blanket neatly before she and the Reverend made their way over to her small home. Almost as soon as they'd entered the kitchen – tiny but she's maximised space – Cordelia filled the kettle and set it on the stove to boil then went to toss her blanket in the bedroom. The Rev felt a little awkward sitting there alone in her kitchen but soon relaxed when Cordelia returned to finish the tea with a big white jumper over her bikini top.

“So,” he began when she set his tea down and sat in the chair opposite. “might I ask what brought you to Midnight? Some kind of gap year before you go home?” He asked conversationally.

Cordelia gripped her cup and Emilio suddenly regretted asking the question, she gripped her tea cup tighter and took a sip before looking at him with those stunning green eyes of hers. As usual they had been lined in thick black making her eyes look like the Northern Lights. 

“Em, no. I didn't have a good home life, to my father I was basically property, something to be sold. It happened to my mother and I knew it would happen to me... so I ran away. I left four years ago when I was fourteen and never looked back. I can never go back even if I wanted to, he'd kill me. Madonna was kind enough to give me a job and tell me about Missus Morrison.” 

Emilio was utterly appalled, more than that but he didn't know the right word. How could anyone treat their own child like that? It was barbaric. It explained so much though, if her father was even half the monster he sounded like she'd have had a very controlled and terrifying childhood, no wonder she had a submissive nature and seemed to be fearful of angering men. 

“... You don't have to worry about me repeating what you've said. And I am always available if you need someone to speak with, Cordelia.”

Suddenly the Rev's brow furrowed and he hunched over in pain.

“Are you alright?” The raven haired teenager asked, concern painted across her face.

“... Yes, sorry.” He gritted out. “It's a full moon tonight and the sun will set soon.”

“I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to keep you.”

There she went again thinking she'd be blamed for something that clearly wasn't.

“No, it's alright. Not your fault. I should get going though, before Olivia comes looking for me.”

The Rev stood and tried to force the pain from his mind. Cordelia went ahead of him to open the door, eyes downcast as though she'd done something wrong, he wanted to sit her down and tell her she'd got nothing to be sorry for but the change was coming so that would have to wait. 

“Goodbye, Rev.” She said quietly.

“Goodbye, Cordelia. Thank you for the tea.”

 

~X~

 

Emilio made his way quickly back to his chapel and just as the storm cellar doors came into view so did a panicked looking Olivia with her phone in her hands.

“Where the hell have you been?” The blonde demanded. “It's sunset in like twenty minutes.”

“I apologise, Olivia, I got delayed.” Replied the dark-haired man as he slowly made his way down the cellar steps.

“Where's your hat?”

Suddenly the Rev realised his usual hat wasn't atop his head, there was only one place it could have been: Cordelia Firth's kitchen table. However, at that moment in time, his transformation was at the forefront of his mind and quickly forced his beloved hat from his thoughts.

“You know what, never mind, I don't care. Just get down there.”

Emilio obeyed and made his way down to the bottom of the stairs.

“Night Rev.”

“Goodnight, Olivia.”

He listened to her slam the doors closed behind him and chain the door as he armed the new alarm he'd just installed. Easily he lit the candle he kept down there and started to remove his clothing, the Weretiger folded everything neatly and even went to remove his hat only to remember where he'd left it. 

The change might not have started physically but it had already begun in his mind, the animal inside himself made him think of her naked legs, flat stomach and tight yellow bikini top that showed her breasts. _No, that's entirely inappropriate_ , Emilio chastised himself quickly. He'd not let his animalistic half force him to give in to his basic urges. He didn't get to think too much longer as he bones started to re-shape and fur grew.


	3. The Morning After The Night Before

Lemuel , Manfred, Olivia, Bobo and Fiji sat in the Midnighers room at Home Cookin' awaiting their meals while Cordelia, Creek and Madonna rushed around the place getting plates out as fast as they were able. The group was chit-chatting when Cordelia entered carrying a tray topped with their drinks and started to set glasses down carefully, Lem's usual only-for-appearances water being last. She said something along the lines of 'I'll be right back' but the words went unnoticed, however,  Bobo certainly noticed the way her jeans clung to her ass. 

“Bobo!” Fiji slapped his shoulder.

“Ouch! I'm sorry.” He spun around with a guilty look on his face and rubbed at his shoulder. “Even the Rev stares at her and you know what he's like.” Bobo told them all absent-mindedly. 

“I noticed him watching her too.” Said Lem from the head of the table.

“The Rev has a crush on Cordelia?” Manfred leant forwards with his arms folded on the large table.

“I wouldn't say that.” Began Lem. “I think he's concerned about her. Cordelia is so young an all alone in town.”

“You're her friends though, right Lem?” Asked Fiji from the chair beside Bobo.

The vampire nodded. “Indeed. When she first came to town I walked her home several times. I was concerned too since she is only eighteen, well, seventeen when she showed up.” 

Just then the raven haired young woman returned and they all fell quiet as she set their plates down before them all.

“Anything else I can get you?”

“No, thank you, Cordelia.” Replied Bobo with a small smile which was returned easily before she returned to Madonna at the bar. 

“Speaking of the Rev I nearly had to go looking for him tonight, I only got him locked down with twenty minutes or so to spare. That's not like him.” There was just a hint of concern in the blonde's voice.

“Well, did he say where he'd been?” Enquired the Medium.

“Said he'd been for a walk. He's done it before, it's not unusual but he's always been back a good hour before sundown. I know how important it is to him to keep everyone safe.”

“Maybe he just lost track of time?” Suggested Fiji before taking a bite of her salad. “It happens.”

“And he still made it, right? The Rev is underneath the chapel?” Enquired Bobo after a sip of beer.

“Yeah.” Nodded Olivia. “Locked up tight.”

“Then we have nothing to worry about. Emilio wouldn't ever put Midnight in harms way.” 

“We know, Lem.” Olivia sighed. “It's just unlike him. Guess I'm reading too much into it, Fiji is right, he probably just lost track of time.” 

The conversation shifted after that and they ate. The group spoke of how Lem and Olivia were settling into married life, how Fiji was coping after all Colconnar had put her through and even how Manfred and Creek were doing with them being back together. 

Over time Home Cookin' slowly emptied of people leaving just a few people dotted about the restaurant. As soon as Manfred finished with his plate he pushed it away from himself and bid everyone a good evening before hopping up to go grab Creek who'd just finished her shift. Bobo and the witch known as Fiji said their goodnights just a few moments later leaving just Olivia and her husband in the Midnighters room. 

Olivia yawned, she had been doing all day, and Lem looked at her with a gentle smile; he thought the assassin adorable when she was tired. 

“Go and get some sleep, Olivia.”

“I'm okay.” She told him mid-yawn.

“No, you're not. You haven't been sleeping properly lately and you've been yawning since I woke up. Go.”

She looked at him with a gentle smile, the sort she only had for Lem.

“You'll be okay? We said we'd do something tonight.”

He nodded. “I always am and we'll have other nights. Go one home and sleep.”

Somewhat reluctantly Olivia nodded and rose to her feet, she pulled her brown leather jacket from the back of her chair and slipped it on then bent down to kiss Lem.

“Night.”

“Night, Lem.”

With that she was gone leaving the bald vampire alone. Sometimes being the only nocturnal one of their group was lonely, though normally Emilio was around for him to talk to – the Weretiger hardly seemed to sleep – or he could occupy himself at the pawnshop but with it being Sunday it was shut. He'd just started to drift off into his own thoughts when Cordelia returned to clear away their plates and glasses, he opened his mouth to say something but the color suddenly drained from her face and she almost collapsed; would have had Lem's lightning fast vampire reflexes not let him catch her. 

“Cordelia, are you alright?”

“Sorry, I'm fine. Thank you, Lem. Just thirsty.”

Carefully the vampire helped her to sit down in the chair he'd occupied not a minute previous. He picked up the glass of water she'd brought him and handed it to her. 

“Here, drink this.” Cordelia took the glass and drank greedily. “You Mermaids and your water.”

“Sorry.”

“When was the last time you drank something?” He asked with concern in his impossible blue eyes.

“I had tea before I left the house.”

Lem sighed. “You're out of water, Cordelia, you need to be more careful.” 

“I know, sorry, Creek asked to leave early so I didn't get my break.”

“Well, it's quiet now. I'm sure Madonna wouldn't mind you taking one now.” 

Cordelia nodded and let him help her to her feet, she flashed him a smile and then headed back to the bar to ask Madonna if she could go on break. Out the corner of her eye she saw Lem grab his coat and head out. Lemuel really was her only friend in Midnight. It wasn't that the others weren't polite and kind, it was just that she didn't quite know how to befriend people, they always thought her strange and tended to avoid her; then again she'd grown up in the sea. Lem though had understood her reservations and made it a point to make her a friend, he had understood how hard fitting in could be; he'd also figured out she was a Mermaid in the space of five minutes.

Mermaids didn't often come onto land, in fact hardly any ever did. They stayed in the water living in small groups known as 'Schools', hardly any of them ever left their little social unit and very little was known about them and what was could only be called folklore. 

Of course Madonna let Cordelia go on her break and she wasted no time rehydrating before heading back out to finish her shift. Nothing much happened during the rest of her shift, hardly anyone came in wanting more than a beer and soon enough it came to an end leaving her to go home.

She paused just outside of the restaurant to slip in her headphones but ground to a halt when she heard something heavy slam against the chapel cellar doors. Causiously she padded over to the doors and stood for a moment. 

“Goodnight, Rev.”

 

~X~

 

The next morning Olivia unlocked the heavy chains and switched off the alarm as she made her way down into the cellar to find Emilio straightening his bolo tie. 

“Morning, Rev.” She greeted with a pleasant enough smile and handed him a to-go cup of coffee from Home Cookin' which he took with thanks. “You coming for breakfast with the rest of us?” 

“No, thank you. I need to go home and change, I'll be in later.”

Olivia nodded and vanished off up the steps, the sound of her heels clacking against the stone and cardboard cup in his hand being the only indications she'd ever been there to begin with.

Emilio looked around the sandy cellar, dead bull slumped in the back corner, blood splattered everywhere. He'd clean it all up once he was fully awake and had some clean clothes on. The Were' stretched almost sinfully as he left the cellar and headed into the chapel to fully wake up, sipping at his coffee as he went. Emilio paused with the cup halfway to his lips when he spotted his black hat sat on the podium, he smiled to himself and returned the hat to his head; she'd taken the time to not only return his hat but leave it somewhere it would be safe and sound. 

When the Rev got home he stripped off his clothes and tossed them into the hamper to be dealt with later and then clambered into the shower. His toes flinched when they touched the cold ceramic floor, a strong hand reached up to turn the dial – metallic and old – turning up the water almost to burning point, steam filled the room; the intense heat always soothed his body after a transformation. Small tufts of orange and black fur still stuck to him but the hot water soon had them washed away to his feet. Droplets splattered on the tiles echoing like a symphony letting  mind fade into dullness leaving everything a foggy illusion; sometimes these showers were the only place Emilio could find peace. He ran shampoo though his jet black hair to wash away the very last bits of orange fuzz and the Rev started to look and feel like his usual human self again. 


	4. Dissipating Fears

_ Everything was black. Seaweed clung to her arms and silver tail, webbed hands clawed at her body pulling and pushing her as though she were nothing more than a mannequin to be toyed with. It hurt. A few feet behind her she could hear Delmar laughing as though the sight of Cordelia's suffering gave him pleasure. Her gills pulled in fresh seawater but it did nothing to help her, she couldn't breath, couldn't think. Cordelia had feared this all her life.  _

_Sharp teeth grated along the spot where her neck met her shoulder in sinister teasing. He was grinning, whichever Mer Delmar had given her to was enjoying this, enjoying forcing Cordelia into the sharp rock wall, enjoying how her body shivered in fear, taking her against her will. She tried to pull away but the Alpha male was too strong, too determined to have her._

_Suddenly sharp teeth sank into her throat and Cordelia screamed._

The raven haired Mermaid sat bolt upright in her bed and kicked the green covers off as quickly as possible, her hands flew to her neck but there was no blood, no bite mark, no pain; it had been a dream.  Unshed tears blurred Cordelia's emerald eyes and her terrified lungs sucked in much needed oxygen.  Before she knew what she was doing her pillow had been cuddled to her chest, eyes closing in a desperate attempt to calm herself. She'd had nightmares all her life but Fjord had always been there to comfort her, he hadn't ever been like the other Mers in the School; Fjord had always cared about her.  He was the only reason she'd ever concider going home.

After a while the tears cleared from her eyes Cordelia looked up out the window at the night, starts littered sky and the moon  was up, a tiny sliver of a thing but it lit up the night magically.  With a deep breath Cordelia got up and made herself a cup of tea before returning to her bed with a book she'd been meaning to finish, there was no going back to sleep, no point even trying.  A quick glance at the clock told her it was three-thirty-si x in the morning,  her shift started at nine so she'd got plenty of time to do some serious reading before even thinking about taking a shower and getting dressed. 

When Cordelia had learnt English almost five years ago she'd developed a passion for books, everything got explained in books, narratives made sense. It hadn't taken long to figure out she favoured Gothic literature,  especially 'Rebecca',  the idea of never being good enough had truly resonated with her. 

As she read the Mermaid found her mind drifting to the Reverend, he usually had a book with him when she saw him in Home Cookin' at breakfast or lunch. Sometimes he quite obviously had a copy of the Bible with him but other times he had more modern paper backs. Cordelia liked the Rev, he seemed to have an endless well of kindness. 

Sure enough the hours of reading and the knowledge that she'd be seeing the Rev's dark chocolate eyes at the breakfast rush soothed her and pushed her nightmare away;  something resembling peace found her. 

 

~X~

 

Emilio had opted to sit in the Midnighter's room instead of out front for a change, he'd been doing that more and more since he'd escaped the chapel cellar just after Manfred had arrived in town. Slowly the solitary tiger was learning to socialize. He was watching Cordelia move around out front while he ate his pancakes, she seemed sad, no one else appeared to have noticed but he had. The Rev saw how subdued she was and he saw it again at dinner, saw how her breathing grew panicked when a truck driver slapped her ass as she past. The Were' snapped out of his head when Creek set his dinner down in front of him then to greet Lem and Joe when they came in, but otherwise his continued to watch Cordelia out the corner of his chocolate orbs. She was so beautiful, too beautiful to be sad. 

“You can put your cutlery down, Emilio.”

Said Lem which caused the Rev's head to snap up, only then did he realise his plate was empty and Joe had gone. _How long ago did he leave?_ Emilio put his knife and fork down at an angle on his empty plate and pushed it away.

“Emilio, please just talk to her.”

“Hmm?”

The Rev raised an eyebrow while the vampire just chuckled to himself as he gestured to Cordelia who was stacking a tray with drinks at the bar.

“You've been all but infatuated with Cordelia for weeks now. You like her so go tell her.” Lem spoke as though it were simple.

“I don't think that's appropriate.” Replied the Rev. 

“Why?” Lemuel's voice was deep. “Because you're two different species? You were the one who made me brave enough to be with Olivia, she's human. You told Manfred to be with Creek. Emilio, you give advice to all of us so please let me return it. Cordelia is a sweet young girl-” 

“Emphasise on young.” Said the Rev gruffly.

“So? She's eighteen, perfectly legal and capable of making her own choices. Don't make things hard, be with her, you clearly want to be and I'm sure she'd be interested. Your notice of her might have started as concern but that clearly isn't what it is now. Without you I probably wouldn't e married to Olivia, Mandfred and Creek would still be dancing around one another.” Lem paused for a moment while Emilio just stared at the bald man. “You helped make us happy, let me help you be happy.” 

The Rev stood ans sighed deeply.

“Thank you, Lemuel, but Weretigers don't make good partners.” 

With that the Rev sipped on his hat and left the headed to the restaurant door.

“Night, Rev.”

Emilio looked over his shoulder to see Cordelia offering him a smile. “Goodnight, Cordelia.”

Her emerald eyes seemed to brighten at the sight of him but surly that was just a trick of his mind. Had to have been.

 

~X~

 

The Were' had been putting off cleaning up the last of the bull's blood from his chapel cellar but it needed doing and it hadn't taken him very long. Emilio peered down at his watch, one-thirty, maybe it had taken a while. Probably best for him to head home and get some sleep, with a yawn he left the cellar and closed the doors carefully before going into the chapel to drop his tools by the font and check everything was alright before he locked up for the night. Emilio peeked past the inner doors at the heart of the chapel as he fished his keys out of his pocket only to spot long raven hair hanging in loose waves. Cordelia. No one had hair like her.

Slowly the Rev made his way over to the front pew where she sat.

“Cordelia, are you alright?” He asked softly forcing her head to snap up at him; she didn't seem scared this time.

“Yeah.” The time of night seemed to dawn on her as she glanced out the window before back up to the man in his black suit. “Sorry, I'll leave so you can lock up.”

“No.” He said a little quicker than he'd intended. “It's alright, you've clearly got something on your mind.” Emilio sat down beside her on the pew, his keys clattered faintly against the wood. “You can always talk to me, anything you say will be kept in the strictest confidence. Please let me help?”

There was a pause.

“I don't know if you can.” Her eyes were downcast as though his shoes were more interesting than his face, still he sat quietly and waited patiently for her to open up. “I have nightmares. Have all my life. Fjord used to comfort me but he's back there.” 

“Fjord?”

“My big brother.” She took a breath and finally looked at him with those stunning eyes. “do you remember I told you that I was property to my father?” Emilio nodded. “His name is Delmar, he's the patriarch of our school. Basically the king, so his daughter is seen as a prize. My brother would take over from my father but whoever had me would have great power and influence.”

She went quiet for a moment, the Rev found himself shuffling closer subconsciously.

“School?”

“Our social group.” She saw his slightly puzzled expression. “Oh, I thought you knew what I am. Lem got it straight away and I wasn't trying to hide it. I'm a Mermaid.”

The Rev raised an eyebrow at that, he'd never heard of a Mer living on land before. Things suddenly slotted into place. From what he knew of Mers they were raised to hate any land dwelling creature essentially to the point of racism, they were fiercely territorial and enjoyed killing sailors, swimmers or anyone else that dared enter their waters. It wasn't too much of a stretch for Emilio to believe they were a sexist society as well. 

“So your father, this Demlar, had found a husband for you?” 

Cordelia snorted loudly.

“Husband? Owner is a better word for it.” There was anger in her voice but none of it was directed at the Weretiger. “My mother, Hali, was miserable all her life and so was I. I'm not like the the other Mers, so I swam away. Fjord helped me, he's not like father either.” 

“Clearly your brother loved you and put your welfare before all else.” Emilio told her in that deep, soothing voice of his.

“I miss my brother. When I had my nightmares of being mated Fjord was always there to make me feel better. I haven't seen him since I was fourteen and I never will again.”

Without warning Cordelia rested her head against the Rev's shoulder, he was taken back for a moment but soon took the opportunity to snake an arm around her shoulder. 

“I understand what it feels like to be alone. I'm a solitary creature by nature but I even more so. My parents died when I was very young so I had to learn how to control my animal side on my own. It's nothing like the horror and fear you suffered as a child but I do understand loneliness.” 

He felt more than saw Cordelia smile.

“You're a good man, Rev. Where were you when I was fourteen and learning to speak.”

“You mean read?”

“No, speak. I'd been in the sea all my life, I didn't just not know English, I couldn't speak. I got put on something called the Foster System, first word I learnt was 'stupid'.”

Emilio's heart went out to her. “You're far from that. Four years and you can read, articulate so the point I had no idea you'd not been doing it all your life. I'd say you were a genius.”

Cordelia looked up at him, only then realising how close to him she'd gotten. His dark eyes were almost black and hypnotic, before she knew what she was doing Cordelia had leaned up and pressed her lips to his for a chaste kiss. It lasted only a moment before she flung herself back and shot to her feet before him.

“I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry.”

Cordelia made to leave but Emilio grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her down into his lap and crashed his lips to hers. Forced to straddle him she put her hands on his strong shoulders while Emilio clung to her waist. At first she'd been tense but soon melted into his touch, he was warmer than she'd imagined, the warmth of his hands seeped through her clothing tantalisingly. She plucked his hat form his head and placed it on her own so as she could rake her silver painted nails though his coal colored hair. Cordelia seemed to flit between fear and bouts of courage but the Rev was too focused on her large chest pressed against his own to try and figure out where the bravery kept coming from. His body twitched with want and that was where Emilio's mind came back to him. 

“No.”

Cordelia stopped in an instant, her body deflated, she was heartbroken and a wave of guilt washed over him.

“No, no, it's not you, never. It's just that... that this is the chapel, it's God's house.”

The fear of being rejected was clear in her eyes which caused him to say the first thing that came into his head in an attempt to see that beautiful smile of hers. 

“You look gorgeous in my hat.” It was stupid but there was that stunning smile he'd longed to see, it shone forth with those impossible green orbs; a meadow after a storm. “You are so beautiful.”

The Rev couldn't help but kiss her again. She smelt almost addictive, lilac sweet.

“Would... would you like to walk me home?”

Cordelia asked cautiously with her attention more focused on his bolo tie than his face. After what she'd told him of where she'd come from Emilio understood her submissiveness, he slipped a singer finger under her chin and tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. 

“I'd like that, Cordelia. Very much.”

The Mermaid slipped from his lap to her feet laced inside black military boots, she offered him her hand which he took quickly and let her lead him out the chapel, keys forgotten on the pew. They walked close together the short distance to her home, Emilio even looped his arm with her own. She still wore his hat which she seemed to like. The Rev found the walk peaceful, hardly any wind and not a cloud in the sky, he'd never been able to just forget what he was and just be _who_ he was.

As soon as Cordelia had let them both into her home she slipped off her oversized camo coat and hooked it over the couch revealing a short sleeved black top that hung off one shoulder and the Daisy Dukes he'd seen her in before. The animal in him growled in want. Cordelia was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, she stared up at him almost timidly which only made him want her all the more. 

Emilio almost raced across the small living room and crashed his lips to hers in a harsh kiss, his large hands slid down her flanks to cup her backside and he lifted her up into his arms with all that Weretiger strength. 

“Bedroom?” He all but growled.

Cordelia lamely pointed behind her as she clung to him, lips refusing to leave his. The Rev easily carried her back into the bedroom where he lay her down and his hat finally fell from her head. They broke apart to kick off their shoes, Emilio to strip away his black suit jacket and bolo tie as though it offended him before reaching to do the same with Cordelia's top. Green eyes watched him as he slipped her tiny shorts down her smooth legs and gazed at her. To Emilio she was a goddess, so beautiful with hair that hung around her head like a halo.

He kissed down her flat stomach Cordelia's body was so soft and supple, so enticing. Her bra unhooked at the front and Emilio's nimble fingers made quick work of stripping away the scrap of red fabric. She released a spark, quiet gasp when he took a nipple into his mouth, cheeks blushing. _So sensitive,_ Emilio grinned. Cordelia's blush grew more intense, whimpering slightly as the Rev pulled back and began to roll his left nub between his forefinger and thumb. Her nipple stiffened in response to Emilio's careful ministrations, gasps escaping her mouth when the Rev pinched and pulled.

His erection strained against his dark pants, spurred on by her needy gasps. A finger dipped into her red panties ready to pull them from her as he drank her in but she suddenly grabbed his hand keeping it from going any further.

“Wait.”

The Rev looked at her with concern in his chocolate orbs.

“Do you need me to stop?”

He wanted her desperately but if she told him to stop he'd stop, he'd put his clothes on and leave.

“No, it's just... just-” The green eyed beauty refused to look at him. “- I've never done this before. I was always too scared.” 

The Rev nodded slowly to himself.

 

“We don't have to do this.” He assured her, in a gentle voice. The animal in him protested but Emilio ignored it.

“I don't want you to stop, I trust you.” That meant the world to Emilio. “Just-” She cut herself off.

“Be gentle?”

“Yes.”

“We can go as slow and gentle as you want.” He told her truthfully, Cordelia smiled and released his hand.

Kisses were peppered over her neck, down the crevice of her breasts and over her stomach as the red panties were tugged slowly down her body; Emilio wanted to savour the view. He could smell her instantly to growl deeply in his throat. He threw his shirt down on the ground, shuffled down the bed and parted her thighs slowly. 

Cordelia didn't know what she'd been expecting but it what she got was better. Emilio kissed her glistening core, then brushed his lips softly against her inner thighs; tender and gentle. He teased her for so long around the area she wanted him the most that she grew desperate and began to gyrate her hips. She might have been a virgin but Cordelia's body knew exactly what it wanted. She gasped, whimpered and moaned as her head fell back against the pillows while her silver painted fingers raked through his magnificent black hair. Emilio's arms wrapped around her thighs pulling them further apart giving him better access to her glistening sex, he breathed against her, then leaned down and stroked her clit with just the tip of his tongue.  
  
Cordelia drew in a sharp breath at the sensation, her chest heaving as the Rev drew tiny circles on her nub. She shuddered in his tight grasp when he shifted to other patterns, things she couldn't discern, but didn't care what they were.

The tiger within him purred as her moans echoed around the room, he was the one doing that to her, the cause of her pleasure. His hips rocked desperately against the mattress as he worked to make her scream. The taste of her was intoxicating, if he died right there and then he'd be a happy man. Cordelia's chest rose and fell with deep pants as she let out little mews when his fingers dipped into her heated core. She was close, he cold feel it, her silver fingernails dug into his scalp with a satisfying pain. The tiger continued to growl, filling Emilio with adrenaline as he continued to work the goddess to euphoria.

Cordelia's climax hit her like a wave, she arched up off the mattress, head thrown back against the pillows and eyes fluttered shut. The dark-haired Rev pushed back off the bed to gaze at her while she rode out her orgasm; he licked the taste of her from his fingers. Emilio hadn't ever seen anything as perfect as Cordelia Firth.

It didn't take long for her to smile up at him, a glint in those emerald eyes of hers, she bit her lip as she reached for his belt and tugged it free. At almost lightning speed the older man shredded himself of his remaining clothing, uncaring as to where the fabric slumped, he pulled Cordelia down the bed to him by the backs of her knees. There was that dominant side he kept hidden away so well, a little spark that revealed just how powerful he truly was. 

“Ready?” Emilio enquired, this was her last chance to make him stop, once he was inside her he wasn't sure the tiger would let him stop.

When Cordelia nodded he lined himself up and entered her, filling the raven haired goddess to the hilt in one smooth motion. His thrusts were gentle to begin with, he didn't want to rush or hurt her but soon they grew hard and deep, powerful and quickly. Began to rip away her ability to speak or think in anything other than whimpers and gasps. Her silver painted fingers reached up to grip the wooden frame of her bed when he took one of her rosy nipples back into his mouth. 

Their bodies met in a perfect rhythm; delicate but overflowing with heated passion. Cordelia's tongue made its way into the Rev's mouth readily as they became one, mapping out his mouth desperately, raking her tongue across his teeth causing his thrusts to become erratic for a second or two. Cordelia was dangling on the very edge, looking down into the euphoric depths below with her powerful Were' not far behind her, she wiggled her hips in just the right way, teasing, and sent him into a primal rut, thrusting like his life depended on it. It was then that the green eyed beauty grew needier that Emilio flipped them, his long and talented fingers gripped her hips leaving tiny little bruises over her porcelain skin, puling her down onto him, impaling her. Cordelia leaned down to kiss him again, gasping at the new angle and the way her kissed nipples grazed against his chest. Her body knew just what to do and had taken over. 

It was then that she could take it no longer and plunged into the smouldering waters of bliss and euphoria her body clamped down around the Rev as she rode her orgasm, pulling him over the edge and into climax with her.

The two collapsed against the cold pillows as the sucked in craved for air. Emilio pulled Cordelia to his sweat shined chest. She let out a small 'wow' as she threw an arm over his chest.

“I'd always been so terrified, I didn't know it could feel so good.”

The Rev kissed the top of her head. “What you were telling me before about your father giving you to someone, that isn't sex. That was rape.”

There was silence for a moment or two where the Rev tucked an arm behind his head.

“In that case, Rev, I quite like sex.” He couldn't help but smirk at that. 

“Emilio.”

“Hmm?”

“Emilio, it's my name.”

“Emilio.” She repeated testing the word on her tongue, his name sounded heavenly in her voice. “I like it. It suits you.” Suddenly she chuckled to herself. “Maybe people should call you Lio.” 

“Why?” He enquired softly as he stared up at the ceiling.

“Emilio, Lio. Leo the lion, because you're a big cat.” The Rev could feel her smile into his hairless chest. 

“More fitting if I were a lion not a tiger.”

“What is it like being a tiger?”

He'd never been asked that before, how he controls himself, how he kept everyone else safe from himself, but never what it was actually like for him inside all that fur. The question threw him and for a time he was quiet and Cordelia looked up at him.

“I suppose it's hard to explain. I remember everything I do in the other form but I have no control over the actions at the time.”

“I'm sorry.”

That caused the Rev's head to snap down to the Mermaid.

“Why are you sorry?” His brow furrowed.

“You look sad now, I didn't mean to make you sad.”

Emilio smiled down at Cordelia, so beautiful, so kind and thoughtful. He pulled her closer still to his chest enjoying her warmth.

“How could I possibly be sad when I have the most beautiful woman in creation naked beside me?” Cordelia blushed and his her face in his shoulder. “Go to sleep, Cordelia, it's late – or early maybe I'm not quite sure – and I bet you have to start work early.” She nodded.

It didn't take long for Cordelia to drift off into slumber, face expressionless yet strangely peaceful. Eyes flitting slowly back and forth as a dream played out in her mind. Emilio couldn't tear his eyes away from her, not until sleep took him as well. 


	5. The Cat's Out Of The Bag

The Rev awoke the next morning and for a moment had no idea where he was, not until the sound of running water and the rich scent of coffee reached him. Cordelia. Emilio pushed himself up on his elbows and glanced around the bedroom as he blinked away sleep, the bathroom door was cracked open ever so slightly letting steam float out and sure enough there was a cup of black coffee on the night table to his right. After a stretch he reached for the cup and took a long sip which returned some moisture to his dry mouth; she'd sweetened it just to his liking as well. Caffeine surged through his system forcing Emilio into the land of the living, it was then that the sound of Cordelia humming reached him. It was beautiful and enticing, he'd never heard the tune before yet strangely he felt as though it was familiar, like her voice was a memory he could quite remember and carried nothing but peace and tranquillity to his ears. It called him to her. 

Emilio slipped naked out of bed and padded into the bathroom, he could see her naked form behind the frosted glass and stepped into the shower easily. His hands reached for her waist quickly and pulled her to his chest. Her humming ended but the work it had done to sooth his soul stayed put. 

“Good morning.” He purred into her ear as his eyes took in the sight of her soapy body. Cordelia leaned into him like all the fears she'd ever had didn't exist.

“Morning, Lio.” She replied with a slight smile. 

The Rev had forgotten the little nickname she'd come up with for him, he'd not expected for it to stick though. All his life he'd just been Emilio or 'The Rev' no one had ever known him well enough to give him a nickname. However, it sounded right on her tongue.

“Thank you for the coffee.” He kissed her shoulder as he pulled her back again so they were flush against one another. 

“Well, I am a waitress.” The Mermaid smirked.

“Ahh, so you're well trained.” He chuckled, he'd never felt so relaxed around another person before. The whole situation was new to him. 

“I'm a quick study, Mister black coffee with two spoons of sugar, no more no less.” There was a pause. “Speaking of being a waitress, I need to get dressed and get to work.”

Emilio didn't want to let her go, didn't want to lose her warmth against his body, didn't want to lose the sight of her wet and prefect breasts. She was right though, Cordelia needed to go to work and Lio – he was starting to like that – had to open the chapel and bury the Brynn family's dog at nine-thirty. That and he still needed to go home and change. Cordelia spun around in his hold and slipped her arms around his neck, she stretched up to kiss him. 

“I'll see you later?”

The Rev smiled. “Of course.”

He returned the kiss quickly and then let her step out of the shower to dress and dry her hair. Emilio couldn't quite explain it but he felt like he'd known Cordelia all his life... and those eyes, he could have died looking at those emeralds. After a few moments he heard the hairdryer click on just as he shoved his head under the warm spray of water, droplets rolled down his back preparing him for the day.

 

~X~

 

Cordelia walked into Home Cookin' wearing a smile, her eyes were lined in their usual thick black but somehow seemed brighter. Bold red jeans clung to her thighs and her black racerback hung loosely everywhere except her chest. Madonna grinned as soon as she saw the Mermaid. 

“What?” Asked Cordelia.

“Nothing, you just look happy. Might happy.” Madonna smirked.

“Aren't I allowed to be happy?”

“Of course you are, honey, just it's a man who usually puts that kind of smile on a girl's face.”

Thankfully Madonna didn't press any further, just grabbed the next tray from the bar and carried it off to its designated table. Cordelia couldn't help but think of Lio, the way he kissed and touched her, she couldn't stop herself smiling. All her life she'd had a fear of males but the Rev had cast that all away, life on land wasn't anything like the sea, she could be happy in Midnight. 

Cordelia went about her shift as usual, Joe and Chuy came in with smiles and polite good mornings and not too long after Manfred joined them in the Midnighters' room. The restaurant had a lot of passers through that Tuesday and the place really was packed, Cordelia ran about serving as fast as her feet would let her – would have been a help if Creek actually did something rather than giving all her attention to Manfred who actually looked to be doing something on his laptop. 

A group of three men dressed in way too much denim kept whistling and making jokes about her being 'hot'. They kept chuckling and telling her to 'come sit in Daddy's lap', she brushed it off every time in favour of doing her job. Cordelia understood that a lot of clothing was a little too tight, or too short but they'd been steadily getting rowdier and rowdier, had it not been ten-thirty in the morning she'd have suspected they were drunk. 

As she returned to the bar once more the younger of the three men grabbed her hips and pulled Cordelia down on to his lap with a laugh. She launched up away from him only for the man to slap her has hard as possible on the ass, she yelped and turned to yell at him but Emilio was already there.

“Enough!”

The man pulled his hand out of the Reverend's grasp. “Oh come on Rev, she's begging for it.”

He reached for Cordelia again but before she could jump back Emilio had him by the collar and pulled him close. By now they had the whole restaurant's attention, especially when the Were' lifted the denim clad idiot off his feet by the scruff of his neck. 

“I said enough! You don't get to look at her and you certainly don't get to touch her.”

The stranger was clearly scared now and rightly so, Emilio could snap the man like a twig.

“Sorry Reverend,” he began quickly, “I didn't know she was your girl.”

Suddenly Joe, Chuy and Manfred were out of their seats and at Emilio's side. 

“Rev, why don't you put him down?” Joe suggested slowly, Emilio suddenly snapped out of his anger and realised what he was doing and set the stranger down with a thud.

In an instant the three men scurried away as fast as their feet would carry them.

“I'm sorry.”

The Rev murmured to no one in particular. He stood there a moment in utter silence just staring at the floor and then abruptly turned and left. Everyone just stared as he raced out the building, Cordelia though, she ripped off her apron and charged after him.

“I'll be right back.” She called over her shoulder and vaguely registered Madonna replying with something like 'honey, you take all the time you need'.

“What the hell was that all about?” Asked Manfred.

Chuy raised an eyebrow. “Not a clue.”

Madonna just grinned as she leaned on the bar. “If my deductive skills haven't failed me, those two had sex last night.”

The three men just stared at her, mouths agape.

Meanwhile Cordelia ran out the restaurant just as the Rev got half way to his chapel.

“Lio!” She called out, reluctantly he came to a halt.

“I shoulder have done that.” He said to himself.

“You were protecting me.” She was stood so close.

“No, I was being possessive. The animal inside me was being possessive.” He argued looking entirely appalled with himself.

“Well, I prefer your version of possessive to what I've always known it as. You're a good man, Lio.” 

She really believed that didn't she.

A tiny smile pulled itself onto her face. “I like it when you call me that.” 

“So do I.” She found his smile infectious. “Maybe don't go picking grown men up of the ground but I do appreciate you coming to my rescue, and I like what he called me.” The Rev furrowed his brow. “'Your girl'.”

She didn't look at him, kept her eyes on the ground where it was safe, things were probably moving too fast but she'd like the Were' since the second she'd seen him.

“So do I.” Emilio was forced to admit while repeating her words. 

He'd stayed away from relationships all his life but something about Cordelia drew him to her, made him brave. He took Cordelia into his arms before he even knew he'd moved and pressed his lips to hers.

“Finally!”

Their heads snapped up to see Fiji and Bobo stood there staring at them their fingers laced together.

“You two have been dancing around each other for weeks, about time mate.” 

Neither said anything else just carried on down the street to wherever it was they were going. Cordelia had gone red in embarrassment.

“Looks like the cat's out of the bag.”

“I thought you were out of your storm cellar.”

Emilio wasn't impressed. “That's a terrible joke.” Still he smiled and kissed her.

“I'm guessing you came in for something to eat before rescuing me took over?” Lio nodded. “Alright then. Let's get you fed, come on.” 

He grinned and followed the raven haired Mermaid back into Home Cookin'


	6. See Me For What I Really Am

 

The news that the reclusive Reverend Sheehan was dating the sexy teenage waitress had – understandably – travelled around the town of Midnight and Davy like wildfire, and after Lio's little outburst in Home Cookin' no one had dared touch Cordelia again; which she'd been grateful for. Neither of them were used to being in a relationship but they'd made it work which they themselves had found odd, by all accounts a Weretiger and a Mermaid shouldn't have worked. 

Midnight was dead centre of the hottest day of the year and Emilio had spent most of the day shirtless with Cordelia constantly re-filling her water glass. Since she had the day off they'd been lounging on the small beach-like area that overlooked the river, no one could deny he view was stunning but Lio thought it didn't hold a candle to her electric blue bikini as she basked in the sun. 

“Here you go.” He said when he returned from getting her more water.

She lay on a blanket not too far from the river's edge but took the glass easily only to set it aside and tug him down over her by his belt for a kiss. Cordelia's palms ran up over his smooth bare chest to snake around his neck as they kissed, Emilio had himself propped up on one hand while the other raked through her hair. She was so perfect.

Only when their lungs demanded air did they break apart, he just looked at her for a moment then raked his hands up her firm thighs.

“Better than a tail huh?” She smiled softly.

Lio didn't speak for a moment or two, just looked at the beautiful woman beneath him; so perfect. 

“I wouldn't know, I've never seen your tail or any other Mermaid for that matter.”

There was a pause. “W... would you like to? See my tail, you're a tiger, we all know what you look like but you've never see what I really am.”

“Either way, I bet you're still beautiful.”

Cordelia smirked. “Sweet talker... but I wouldn't be so sure, I'm not like Disney.”

“You're not a monster, Cord.”

She didn't look too convinced but still she nodded and stood herself up only to pull Lio along behind her into the river, he paused only a longer to take his thick jeans off. The water was cool and refreshing as they swam out. The Rev didn't usually swim but it was nice to do it for a change, they weren't too far out and had a beautiful view of the house. Lio watched as she shimmied out of her bikini bottoms. 

“Hold these.”

Cordelia looked a little awkward as though she was about to lose everything, she rolled her shoulders and it was almost as though her skin rippled. Cord grunted in pain and the Rev just watched as her legs fused together and silver scales formed. Slowly he ran his hands over a section of tail where her upper thigh had been with all his attention. 

“It's so smooth and the color of your nails.” He said almost absent-mindedly.

“Actually that's just my nails, it's the one bit of me I can't change.”

“It's beautiful.” Dark eyes watched as her fin softly swatted through the clear water.

“You haven't seen the rest of me yet.”

That had Emilio's head snapping up and he finally saw what had her so scared. Cord had expected fear and disgust, she'd seen 'Ariel' and knew she wasn't pretty. He took every inch of her in slowly, dark purple skin, there were hints of silver scales around her temples and her eyes were jet black. Her eyelashes were long, thick and made up for her lack of eyebrows. Her ice blue colored lips drew the eye and somehow her long hair seemed even blacker. Her appearance wasn't anything he'd expected but she certainly wasn't ugly. 

“You're still beautiful. Always will be to me.”

T he Mermaid beamed up at him as he pulled her close for a kiss but suddenly gasped and pushed  his hands from her hips.

“Are you alright?” Lio asked in a tone full of concern. 

“Yeah, sorry. It's just my gills are sensitive.” 

I t was only then that he  noticed the ting horizontal slits at her hips, tiny and soft.  Carefully Lio pulled Cordelia back to him so as they were chest to chest and pressed their lips together. 

“Ouch!” Cordelia looked fearful that she'd destroyed the moment. “My teeth are rather sharp like this.”

To the Mermaid's surprise the Rev just smiled and pulled her closer.

“Then I'll have to be more careful.” 

That smile, it had Cordelia melting into Lio's touch. She'd spent her life living in fear of men but Emilio had taught her that she didn't have to be scared of them. Men could be strong and powerful, dominant even, without violence or viciousness. They kissed, slow and gentle, Cordelia was careful not to scratch him. The Rev pulled her close and could feel him press against her as the cool water cuddled around them. 

“We're not really compatible anymore, are we?” He said in jest, a lazy smile on his face.

There was a brief pause where Cord was caught in thought before she blushed, or at least it was what Emilio thought was a blush, he couldn't quite tell against her purple skin. 

“Do you trust me?”

The Rev furrowed his brow. “Of course I trust you, Cordelia.”

She grinned at that. “Benefit of a girlfriend with gills.”

With that she vanished underneath the water's surface and that brow of his furrowed deeper for a moment until suddenly he felt fingers tug his boxers down... he figured out what was happening pretty quickly after that. There was, however, a spark of fear that he forced away when he remembered about the immensely sharp teeth she had. He wouldn't stop her though, he trusted the Mermaid.

The Rev gasped when  she took him into her mouth his hard member twitched with eager anticipation  then, slowly, Cordelia slid him into her mouth. Lio's head fell back as a silent gasp escaped his mouth. The Rev had to fist his hands into her long hair even to keep himself from cuming there and then like a horny teenager. The mermaid hummed around him forcing a moan from the weretiger; a strange sound as it travelled through water, muffled and faint. Had Lio been able to think properly he'd have wondered exactly  _why_ she was go fucking good at this, but Christ was this girl the sexiest thing he'd ever encountered. It had been a  _very_ long time since gotten a blowjob. 

Want and bliss coiled through his lower body, Cord's fingers lingered at his hips, a small trickle of pleasure that soon built up into a raging fire. He tried to pull out when his euphoria struck but the mermaid wouldn't let him. His grip grew harsher on the back of her head as he thrust his hips and finally came with her name on his lips. She'd swallowed every drop before he released her, when she popped up from the water her hair stuck to her neck and shoulders, a hopeful smile on her lips.

“You've done that before.” He said huskily.

“No.” The Rev raised an eyebrow.

“You have no right to be that good if you've never done that before.” 

The pair just chuckled at that and then he was kissing her, arms around her waist careful of her scales and gills. Lio could taste himself on her lips, perfect and intoxicating. What he'd done to gain the attention of such a woman Lio had no idea but he was certainly grateful for it. With one last kiss he teased the little bow of her bikini bottom at her hip and whispered into her ear.

“Let's go to bed.”

“But I'm all wet.” 

Emilio grinned one of those few and far between smiles that only Cordelia got to see. 

“That's why we're going to bed, darling.”


	7. All His

 

Six months, six months the tiny Texas town of Midnight had been watching Emilio's and Cordelia's relationship grow and develop, everyone had to agree it was beautiful. The young girl had really pulled the Rev into the town community and he'd integrated with them rather than living on the outskirts; he'd even started smiling more. Meanwhile Cordelia had come out of her shell as well, she'd always seemed scared of the world but those days had long since passed, she made jokes and she'd befriended people other than Lem. 

Strangely, not long after she'd joined the rest of the Midnighters eating in the back room they'd discovered she had some sort of calming effect on Manfred, especially when she hummed. She'd unknowingly helped so much that Manfred had actually wondered about tossing his painkillers. Cord no longer felt lonely and that was how she found herself sat in Home Cookin's back room with Lem, Joe, Bobo, Olivia and Manfred on her night off. The sun had gone down some time ago and the dinner rush had ended, Olivia had locked the Rev up hours ago and so the tiny group had decided to have a few drinks; Creek would be off shift later as well. 

Everyone laughed as Bobo gave the punchline to his nun joke, his jokes had been getting ruder and ruder, but that might have had something to do with how many drinks he'd had and the fact Fiji was in bed with a cold.

Cordelia could feel eyes on her long smooth legs and thighs that peeked out from her short blue skirt, Cord knew she didn't help herself with the way she dressed but that shouldn't have mattered. After six months everyone in Midnight and Davy knew she was the Reverend's girl, they could look but they couldn't touch. The raven haired beauty had left home because she feared the day she'd be owned but with Emilio, her darling Lio, she only felt protected and loved. 

It was Lem's talking that snapped the Mermaid back to the real world and out of her thoughts. Her emerald eyes flashed up.

“... I knew some nuns once.” Olivia's eyebrow raised.

“Oh really?”

Lem nodded. “Yes, Sister Martha Jane and Sister Margaret. Nice women, scary when you upset them though.”

Joe snorted as he took a sip of his beer. “That's funny coming from you.”

Periodically Manfred had been glancing behind him to see if Creek had finished her shift yet, no such look, though practically empty Creek was still back and forth delivering drinks. 

“Where's Creek? I want my dinner.” That was another reason he'd been looking around for his girlfriend. 

“They do actually have to cook it, you know.” Cordelia reminded him then downed what was left of her own drink. “Hey, maybe Madonna should hire Fiji, magic would certainly speed up getting food out.”

Bobo's face scrunched. “I don't know how I'd feel about eating food prepared by magic on a regular basis.” 

“There shouldn't be any real danger if it's Fiji,” Joe began slowly “but I get your point.”

Just then Manfred's stomach rumbled loudly and the group snickered.

“God, when did you last eat?” Asked Olivia quickly.

It took Manfred way longer than it should have to answer the blonde's question. “Em, not sure, breakfast I think.”

Just then, almost as though she'd heard their conversation Creek appeared with Manfred's dinner, she set the plate down before him and handed him cutlery before giving Cord another glass of water; she had a stack of empty ones beside her single whiskey glass. In an instant the Medium tucked in and Creek smirked.

“Don't expect to hear anything out of him until he's finished.”

When Bobo spoke he'd placed his palms together in a prayer motion. “He's made me hungry. Don't suppose I could get a slice of apple pie?”

“Since ya asked nicely.”

Cordelia drained the new glass of water, she always had to drink more water on the hotter days, and it certainly was a hot one; the sun had long ago set but still heat gripped the Texan town.

“What is it with you and the water? That glass of whiskey,” he gestured to the almost empty glass “is the only thing I've ever seen you drink that's not water.” 

“I drink lots of other things.”

Out the corner of her eye Cord spotted a couple leave which meant that only one man, Madonna and Creek were left other that their group in the back room.

“She's a Mermaid, it comes with the territory.” Said Olivia as she leant on her elbow.

“Good point, explains why the Rev is always tossing bottles of water at you.” Bobo drew her attention back.

Olivia just giggled. “Cord's man knows how to take care of her.”

Cordelia smiled at the thought of the Rev. “Lio is a good man.”

Joe finished his drink. “No one could ever deny that. He's been helping Chuy, he's still having problems after Bowie.” 

“I could see if I could help if you like. I could Sing like I do for Manfred sometimes.”

That actually got Manfred's attention and he looked up from his half empty plate long enough to get two words out.

“She's good.”

Joe's brow furrowed as he thought the idea over.

“Would it even work on him? He is half demon.”

Cord nodded. “Yeah, only Mers are immune to our voice.” 

Joe seemed happy with the information. “Thanks, Cordelia. I'll ask Chuy about it.” 

“Must be really cool being able to change people's emotions.” Mused Bobo.

“Doubtful.” Said Lem in that deep voice of his as the front door swung shut indicating the older man had left. “The effect wouldn't be permanent and it's not a real emotion. It's fake.” 

“Lem's right, it's like his leaching, it has an effect but it wears off and all the real feelings come back. Kind of like a smoke screen. I don't like doing it too much either, most people don't want it and traditionally Mers use it to kill humans. Than and because of the frequencies my Singing uses it's possible that prolonged use might be detrimental to a human brain, that's why I only do it for a few seconds at a time with Manfred. It's enough to relieve his pain for several hours and it won't turn his brain to goo.” 

Suddenly there was an almighty crash outside and everyone shot to their feet in alarm.

“What the hell was that?” Demanded Olivia and then her phone buzzed. “Oh crap.”

“What is it?” Lem's supernatural blue eyes were full of concern.

“The Rev's out!”

Cordelia shot out of the back room intent on finding the man she loved but just as she got into the main restaurant there was another crash and Emilio strutted in as the tiger.

“Oh shit.” Someone, possibly Bobo squeaked when the others saw him as well.

“Olivia,” began Manfred cautiously “you got a gun?”

Before she or anyone else could blink let alone speak the tiger raced forwards and knocked Cord down onto her back so he could loom over her. The blonde assassin had her gun out and Lem was ready to throw Emilio off the Mermaid but Cordelia called them off.

“No, it's okay.”

Lio had her pinned and growled when Lemuel had the audacity to step forwards, then Manfred when he tried to shift towards Creek at the bar. 

“Cord, this isn't okay. The Rev is dangerous.” Olivia's gun didn't waver.

“Yes it is.” Cordelia didn't take her eyes from the giant tiger above her. “If Lio wanted to hurt me he'd have done it by now.” She kept her voice soft. “Don't you get it? The tiger sees me as his mate, and I'm surrounded by men, he's territorial. Just back up and it'll be fine.” 

Reluctantly every man in the room did back up just as instructed but Olivia stood her ground. Cordelia ran her hand over Lio's paw and she felt him sooth and calm, eventually she managed to slip her hand up to tickle his ears, something she new no one else had ever dared do before. Lio snuggled into her touch which got Cord smiling. 

“That's my Lio. It's alright, you don't have to worry, I'm yours. All yours.” 

Slowly Cordelia sat up and Olivia finally lowered her weapon. The Mermaid snaked her arms around Lio's fluffy neck and cuddled into his fur, she knew if he knew she was close and wouldn't leave him he'd be less inclined to attack anyone who might steal her away. 

“This is so soft. He's like a cuddly toy.”

“Yeah,” Joe chuckled awkwardly. “if a cuddly toy had razor sharp teeth and could kill in the blink of an eye.”

Manfred – who'd just managed to make his way around the room to Creek – raised an eyebrow.

“Did the Rev just purr?” Everyone ignored him. 

“Come on, Lio. Let's take you back to the cellar.” 

Lem, the only one who seemed as though he believed the giant tiger wouldn't suddenly rip Cordelia's throat out, spoke softly.

“You think you can lead him back?”

Cord nodded. “Yes, he trusts me. Just stay back and it'll be fine.”

Oh so slowly she shifted onto her knees and then her feet, she took steady steps backwards with her eyes locked on him. Without warning the tiger growled and wiped at Bobo but Cordelia was determined to get through this without Olivia shooting her boyfriend... so she started to Sing. When Mermaid's sang it was more like a humming noise crossed with a cat's purr, very quickly Lio relaxed and let Cordelia guide him out of Home Cookin. The group – including Madonna and Creek – followed them out at a rather large distance. 

The night air was hot and sticky but no one seemed to notice, just kept their eyes fixed on the display before them. Lio and Cord moved towards the cellar a few steps at a time while Olivia kept her gun on the tiger just in case, however, no one seemed to be alarmed any longer with them being so close to the cellar. 

Eventually Cordelia managed to lure the Rev back into the cellar, as soon as he was in Olivia called down to her friend.

“Alright, come on and I'll lock him back up. He snapped the chains but the doors look okay, I have more chains in the pawnshop.” 

Cord shook her head. “No, not a good idea. Just lock me in with him.”

Bobo's eyebrows shot up. “Are you kidding?!”

Joe shushed his friend. “She's already said he won't hurt her and if he tries she can just Sing again.” 

Lem vanished for a moment in the direction of the pawnshop only to return within maybe three seconds holding a long length of heavy duty chain. 

“Cordelia is correct, he already came for her once, let's just be thankful she was close by. She's viewed as his mate, he just wants her safe and where is safer than his den?”

After a moment they all agreed, Joe helped Olivia to close the cellar doors and quickly chain the them shut once again. Cordelia and Lio found themselves plunged into darkness but it bothered neither, they were used to pitch black conditions; him because of his more nocturnal habits and her because of the ocean depths. 

She sat there for a moment before the silence got too much. “I take it someone missed his girlfriend, then.”

She smiled softly at the gargantuan tiger before her as she reached to tickle his ears; Emilio seemed to like it and Cord wasn't going to let him live that down. He moved closer to her so he could use his nose to nuzzle at her neck. Her green orbs went wide and pushed him back when he tried to knock her onto her stomach with all that supernatural strength of his, it was fairly obvious what his tiger mind wanted. 

“No. Nope, not when you've got fur. No.”

She wouldn't let him have her like that, Emilio wasn't in his right mind and he'd hate himself the next morning. A Mer would have ignored her and taken her anyway feeling it was their right but even as a tiger, an animalistic version of himself, he respected when she said no. Emilio really was a good man... good cat too. 

Instead, Lio padded around in a circle on the other side of the small cellar not to far from his fresh kill, then sat. His stunning cat eyes watched her for a moment expectantly, clearly Cordelia didn't do what he wanted because Emilio stretched his neck out and bot the fabric of her skirt and tugged on it until she was forced to crawl over to him. Getting the idea, Cord lay on her side with her back to him, she couldn't stop the smile that emerged on her red lips when he rested his head on her shoulder; he was protecting her and making sure everyone knew she was his. 

Emilio was so warm, so soothing, and she fell asleep remarkably quickly.


	8. Lazy Days

  
The next morning at dawn Lio woke to find Cordelia cuddled up to his naked body; she was fully dressed and it forced him to consciousness. There were tufts of fur everywhere, some even across Cordelia's pale face.   
  
“Morning, Lio.”   
  
His mind suddenly flooded with what had happened the previous night then and his face paled. Emilio's head snapped to her.  
  
“Cord, I'm so sorry. So sorry. Did... did I hurt you?” There was such fear in his dark eyes, the Mer hadn't ever seen that before.  
  
“No.” She snuggled in closer to him, Emilio was always so warm. “The tiger just wanted his girlfriend. It's okay, you didn't hurt anyone.”  
  
He sat bolt upright then and sighed. Cord pushed herself up and cuddled into his back, arms snaked around his chest to keep him close; she pressed a gentle kiss to his shoulder.   
  
“I could have hurt you.”  
  
Cordelia smiled. “No, you couldn't. I know you nor your other half would ever hurt me. Especially after last night. You're a good man... and a good tiger.”  
  
The dark-haired beauty looked up at him with those big green eyes, her make up was smudged but still beautiful.   
  
“I love you, Lio.”   
  
With a smile the Rev pulled her around him into his lap, his fingers raked through her long hair.  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
Cord traced his clavicle gently to knock away the very last of the fur that clung to him. She chuckled.  
  
“Looks like a horny tiger is now a horny Rev.” She couldn't hide the smirk. “I'm a little over dressed.”  
  
The Rev sighed. “I'm sorry, my animalistic urges haven't worn off.”   
  
“Who says it has to?” Emilio's brow furrowed in the darkness of the storm cellar as he watched his darling Mermaid shimmy her panties off and straddle him. “I believe my tiger wants me.”  
  
Lio liked this confidence, he'd been seeing more and more of it as of late. The Were' ran his palms up her naked thighs over her blue skirt to her hips and delighted when she bit her lip.   
  
Without warning a finger slipped inside her wet core almost gently, she gripped at his shoulders, nails dug in to his skin with so much force that Lio hissed in pain but they both ignored it.  
  
Her legs opened wider as Emilio shuffled her to give him better access to her wet heat; his eyes darkened. He prompt himself up on one hand as the other teased her core, a finger dipped into her and Cordelia all but cried out.  
  
“Please, Lio.”  
  
She begged and the Were' couldn't deny her , he thrust a second finger into her wet heat, stroked along her glistening folds. She moaned, loud and needy, a sound quite unlike anything Emilio had never heard from anyone else before; it was truly unique.  
   
He was so warm as she clung to his tanned shoulders – hips bucking without her consent and her head was thrown back on the cool pillows. The dark-haired Mermaid rocked her hips impatiently pushing back on his calloused fingers, the digits stretching her open. Cordelia's whole body pulsed. She could feel Lio's body against hers as her hips thrust up against his large hand, faster and faster, closer and closer to the end... to the bliss she so craved. But no, no she wanted this to be for the both of them not just her pleasure.  
  
“Need you, Lio.” She breathed and he knew exactly what she wanted.   
  
The Rev pulled her close so as she was flush against his naked chest and filled her. Cord gasped, her mouth hung open and Lio soaked up her beauty. He wouldn't last long, he knew that, and after pushing the Mer so close to the edge he knew she wouldn't either. It was like standing at the top of a cliff, right on the edge of her climax. They needed this, They wanted this, wanted each other. Closer, harder, faster. Until, with a shout, Cord came.  
   
“Fuck! Lio!”  
  
She threw her head back as bliss rocked through her body. Slender fingers clung to his shoulders in a vice-like grip, so tight but he didn't so much as flinch. Cordelia rode out her orgasm with gasps and mews of pleasure that made Emilio's heart soar. He could feel the tiger inside himself purr with animalistic pleasure as they fell down onto their backs in the dusty storm cellar; Cord cuddled into his warm body as he held her tight.   
  
“I could start staying down here with you if you like.” She told him breathlessly after a time.  
  
Emilio shook his head. “You shouldn't have to do that. I won't risk hurting you and I'm dangerous after I've ripped a bull apart.”  
  
Cord smirked. “You could make me dinner.”  
  
That actually made the Rev laugh, he'd needed that and not even known it. Sometime he thought he didn't deserve that. He wanted to just lay there all day and hold her but he couldn't.  
  
“Olivia will be here to let us out soon. I should probably get dressed.”  
  
He made to move but Cord wouldn't let him get up, just kissed down his neck and chest.  
  
“Please, Sweetheart, I really need a shower.”  
  
Reluctantly she stood up and picked up her panties as he went to get his clothes. Her panties were covered in soil so there was no way in hell she was putting them back on despite being in such a short cerulean skirt. Instead of worrying she stuffed her panties into her pocket and leant against the wall to watch Emilio dress, for a man thirty-four years her senior he was in amazing shape, defined arms and a lean stomach, hairless chest and slightly tanned skin that was utterly perfect against her own porcelain flesh.   
  
As soon as his hat returned to its rightful place on his head he tugged Cordelia into his arms.  
  
“I love you, Cordelia.”  
  
“I love you too. Always.”  
  
Just then the storm cellar doors creaked and the sound of chains landing in a pile sounded, a few seconds later the doors opened to reveal daylight and Olivia.  
  
“You two decent?” She called down in a jovial voice but they didn't miss the underlying worry that she was going to find Cord ripped to pieces.  
  
The pair made their way up the steep stairs and into the light. People were going back and forth along the street and the breakfast rush was in full swing at Home Cookin'.  
  
It didn't take Cord very long to convince the older blonde that she was fine, safe and unharmed; just looking at her revealed that. A short conversation later and Olivia went to join Joe and Chuy for breakfast while the Rev and Cordelia piled into his truck and rose the short journey to his home. The whole time he was fully aware that his darling girl was underwear-less. There wasn't any conversation since the drive was too short for that, instead they just enjoyed the peaceful quiet.   
  
When they got to Emilio's house Cordelia graciously offered to go make the Rev some coffee and get him some clean clothes out while he took a shower; something he was rather thankful for. Cord adored the sound of running water, it reminded her of when she and her brother were children and snuck off to the waterfall to be away from their father. She listened to the droplets of Lio's shower as she filled the coffee maker and set it to work while she stared out the kitchen window. Everyone had been scared the previous night, thought the tiger was going to kill her but no, Cord knew Lio wouldn't ever hurt her and now she knew the tiger loved her just as much as the man.   
  
Soon enough the coffee was made and she took the mug into the bedroom where she set it on the side table beside her own. The Rev never took very long showers unless she was in there with him so she made quick work of getting him a pile of clean clothes out and left them on the end of the bed for him before dumping his dirty clothes into the hamper. His had was dotted with bits of fur that he'd shed in his sleep so she brushed it away for him; he wasn't Midnight's Reverend without that hat.   
  
Cordelia couldn't help but think of how much her life had changed since she'd met Emilio, he shown her that she didn't have to fear the world. She was happy, content, loved.  
  
She pushed the bathroom door open and steam rushed past her but she ignored it in favour of dusting herself off. When she got in front of the mirror and wiped away the fogged up condensation to reveal her hair to be a mess; she wouldn't stand for that. Her fingers combed through her long hair quickly until it became something less nest-like.   
  
The frosted glass door to the shower opened then and a very wet Reverend leant out.  
  
“Get in here.”  
  
He was always more dominating after the full moon. Emilio washed away the suds as Cordelia stripped off her dirty clothes and got into the shower with him. Almost instantly he had her pressed up against the cold tile, legs parted; she could feel him against her entrance. The Weretiger did wonders for his sex drive. Emilio's calloused hands kept her hops pinned as her arms settled around his neck; all that Were' strength kept her in place.   
  
Lio let his breath ghost over the shell of Cord’s ear, and gave it a nice lick before speaking. “Why are you so perfect?” His fingers trailed over her body as though trying to memorize every single inch of her.   
  
“Not so bad yourself.” She chuckled, a few months ago she'd never have had the courage to say that.  
  
Emilio loved that about her, how strong she really was; stronger than she knew. He knew Cordelia liked his touch, craved it even, when she pressed herself further into his chest. Cord's skin was like porcelain so smooth and perfect. Calloused fingers stroked down her body over her hips and down between her legs while his lips found her neck to press open-mouthed kisses to the heated skin there. Emilio slid his hands down from the Mer's sides to her ass and gave the plump globes of her chest a firm squeeze, Cordelia moaned, the sound bounced off the white tiles.  
  
The Were' easily pushed Cord's legs apart a bit before sliding his right hand down to tease her while the left continued to cup her breast, her head fell forwards against his shoulder. The Rev continued his teasing putting his thumb on her labia and spreading them open, revealing Cord’s folds and clit. Lio surged with an animalistic pride. He pressed a small kiss to her shoulder then bit down as he plunged two digits into his darling Mermaid, he delighted in the sounds the raven-haired beauty let out. Fingers thrust almost tormentingly until she was practically dripping – and not from the shower – her chest rose and fell with needy pants.  
   
“You sound perfect too.” Her eyes were closed and she could hardly hold her head up, not that she tried very hard. “Bet you taste perfect as well.”  
  
That wasn't like the Rev but that was because it wasn't him, that was the tiger talking. The tiger that saw her as its mate.  
   
He pulled his fingers from her and an feeling of emptiness swept over Cordelia, she mourned the loss of him. He examined his drenched digits for a moment as though her juices were gold then hungrily licked her from his talented fingers. Cord mewed.   
  
“Yeah, perfect.”  
  
Suddenly Lio slapped Cord back against the cold tiles and dropped to his knees before her, water still raining down over them. Had the naked woman's mind been functioning properly she'd have known which one of them moaned but her mind was much too focused on the bearded man between her legs for such thoughts.   
  
Emilio put his attention back to Cord’s glistening sex, spreading her thighs open once more and this time, giving her folds a lick. She leant back just a bit, the tiles icy against her skin, her hands grasp at the older man's dark hair. Lio praised Cordelia's clit with licks and the occasional a good suck, she let out a gasp. That was when his fingers entered her once more, scissoring them, while his other hand slid down to stroke his hard cock.  
   
He'd driven her to the very edge and would certainly enjoy pushing her over the finish line into climax. He wasn't far behind her, his whole body radiated with urge to cum, with her wet need body before him how could he not? Just a little more, a little more, a little more...  
   
“Lio!” She cried out his name, her walls clamping down around his fingers.  
   
He grinned up at her while licking the taste of her from his lips, his hand still working his length rapidly.  
   
“Ah!” He spilled his seed all over the shower floor.  
   
The two stayed there for a moment, Cordelia using the wall to hold herself up while the Weretiger remained on his knees, he knew if he stood he'd collapse.   
  
After a time when both had gotten their breath back and Emilio once again trusted his legs, he rose to his feet and washed away what they'd just done then pressed a kiss to her lips and clambered out the shower.  
  
For years he'd have just gone do push-ups until he'd gained control of himself again but with Cordelia he could give in without being dangerous. For a long time he'd thought being a Were' was a curse but with the Mermaid he had started to think otherwise.  
  
Once he'd gotten dressed while Cordelia dried her hair he pulled out one of his shirts for her to put on, it was too big of course but he loved the sight of her in his clothes; so did the tiger.  
  
“Coffee has gone cold. I'll get us some more. You leave the pot on?”  
  
She nodded and couldn't help but notice him gazing at her.  
  
“You're beautiful.” She blushed. “How about I cook us dinner tonight?”  
  
“I'm off today, we could cook together. Be all domestic.”  
  
Emilio took her into his arms. “I wouldn't want to be domestic with anyone else.” They kissed. “Something vegetarian or am I allowed to have fish?”   
  
It had been a little awkward at first when it came to dinner together. Cordelia loved steak, that of course Lio couldn't eat, while Lio would have rather had fish but having grown up in the ocean eating cold uncooked fish Cord couldn't stand.   
  
“Something vegetarian please.”  
  
“Alright. Lazy day?” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she nodded.  
  
Cordelia loved those peaceful lazy days and after they'd spent all night in the storm cellar she was determined to enjoy it. 


End file.
